We have had an incredibly active and eventful week here at school! It has been a week full of highlights, from our Boys' and Girls' soccer tournaments to our first round of Karaoke Dance parties (with more fun to come next week!). Students also took part in a Grade 7 History in Action field trip, Focus on Nature learning sessions, and activities celebrating Ontario Day. We've even started our new Butterfly Garden and can't wait to watch it grow! Amidst all of this excitement, our students have also been working hard and making great progress with their EQAO assessment.
You can read more about some of these highlights below. As a reminder, tomorrow is a PA Day, so there is no school for students. We hope everyone has a wonderful, restful long weekend!
Our school is participating in Jump Rope for Heart!
Our school is proud to be participating in Heart & Stroke’s Jump Rope for Heart on June 24. We’re excited to get active in a variety of ways (not just jumping!), learn healthy habits and raise funds in support of lifesaving heart and brain research.
We kicked off our Jump Rope for Heart fundraising event with a postcard campaign. Please check your child’s backpack for a postcard that includes more information and help us reach our school goal. We have already raised over $1200 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation - what an amazing start!
Donate or register to create your own fundraising page to share with family and friends. Visit our school’s fundraising page to get started: https://jumpropeforheart.crowdchange.ca/116762.
Exploring Us Summer Camp
The HDSB Graduation Coach for Black Students Program is hosting the Exploring Us Summer Camp this July! Exploring Us is a free, in-person program for Grade 6-8 students that runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The program strives to affirm the identities of Black-identifying students, foster relationships, unleash creativity and create lasting memories.
Week 1: Wellness in Motion | July 7-9
Week 2: Black Roots in Rhythm - Hip-Hop Culture Week | July 14-16
Week 3: Cut to Black - Exploring Black Relevance In Film | July 21-23
Register today at tinyurl.com/ExploringUs2026
Sankofa Collective - Afrocentric Summer Literacy Program
The HDSB is hosting a two-week summer program for students transitioning from Grade 8 to Grade 9 this fall! The Sankofa Collective offers an engaging and supportive introduction to high school, with a focus on strengthening English literacy skills in reading and writing. Students will build essential reading comprehension and writing strategies while developing confidence and building community. Open to all students, this program targets essential literacy skills using Afrocentric literature, resources and high-yield teaching practices. It engages students in meaningful learning opportunities while supporting their readiness for Grade 9. Students will learn in a supportive environment, enhance their literacy skills, develop meaningful connections and gain the tools they need for a successful transition into high school.
Session 1: June 29 - July 10 at Elsie MacGill Secondary School
Session 2: July 13 - 24 at Garth Webb Secondary School
Register today at tinyurl.com/SankofaCollective
Celebrating Ontario Day
On Monday, June 1st, our students took part in a variety of learning activities to mark Ontario Day. Throughout the day, lessons and tasks focused on exploring our province's history, diverse cultural heritage, and local communities.
It was wonderful to see the children building a deeper appreciation for the province we share. Be sure to ask your child about what they discussed or a new fact they learned about Ontario!
Nighthawks athletics
Congratulations to our Boys' and Girls' Soccer teams who competed in their respective tournaments at Brant Hills this week! The girls hit the pitch on Tuesday, followed by the boys on Wednesday, and both teams represented our school wonderfully.
We are incredibly proud of their hard work, effort, and sportsmanship throughout the tournament. Our athletes demonstrated fantastic teamwork and determination in every match, bringing great energy and school spirit to the field. Thank you to all of our players for your commitment and for giving it your all out there.
Also, a huge shout out and thank you to our coaching teams for making these opportunities possible for our students!
Go Nighthawks Go!
Annual Plan of Care review for September 2026
All students with a prevalent medical condition (i.e., anaphylaxis, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy) are required to have their Plan of Care document reviewed annually. If there are no changes to the existing Plan of Care, we ask you to print, sign and return the Annual Review of Medical Information Form via email to Katie O’Reilly oreillykat2@hdsb.ca by Friday, June 19, 2026. No meeting is required should there be no changes to the current Plan of Care. Should there be recommendations provided by your Health Care Practitioner, these changes may be incorporated into a revised Plan of Care for your child when this document is finalized upon return to school in September. To discuss recommended changes, please contact Stefanie Savo (VP) savos@hdsb.ca. Thank you for completing the Annual Review of Medical Information Form.
School Council Updates
None at this time
Mark your calendars
Jun 9th Volunteer Tea
Jun 12th Special Athletes Track Meet
Jun 15th Jr. Track and Field
Jun 18th Grade 8 Celebration
Jun 24th Jump Rope for Heart
Jun 25th Celebration Assembly
Jun 26th Last Day of Instruction - early dismissal day
Tech-Assisted, Human-Approved: This newsletter was curated by C.H. Norton staff with creative and editorial support from AI.
